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As San Juan Bautista Historical Society President Wanda Guibert looked over the three dozen or so books stacked on a display case at the Luck Museum, she pointed out things the volumes had in common.
The first was the wealth of small details that made them touchstones to the town’s past: a child’s drawing of a Native American on a horse in a 19th-century math textbook, an engraved bookplate depicting a local ranch, a vellum-bound volume of the works of Saint Teresa published in 1724 that perhaps belonged to a priest at the mission.
The second thing they had in common was much more obvious: a handful of the books were mildewed or moisture-damaged, some to the point where keeping them in the society’s archives might prove dangerous to the other items stored in the old historic building that houses the collection.
“We want to preserve these objects and their stories,” Guibert said. “Some are memories of San Juan that have not been shared yet. And if they are damaged or destroyed, they are not replaceable.”
The building had served as a gas station before becoming a museum in 2000. Carl Martin Luck commissioned the construction of the poured-in-place concrete building in 1919. His daughter Francisca Luck deeded the station, along with the entire block, to the city in 1974.
As Guibert walked around the city-owned building, she pointed out some of the structural flaws. Visible gaps under the uninsulated doors let in rainwater. Cracks in the walls show signs of multiple repairs over the years. Broken windows are held in rusted frames.
The smell of mold is obvious upon entering the building. The concrete floor is broken into jigsaw puzzle-like pieces, allowing water to seep in. Some old display boards that have been damaged have been set aside to be documented and photographed, then discarded.
“We just need to know how to proceed properly,” Guibert said. “We have to understand how best to fill the holes in the concrete and prevent further damage to the rebar.”
Happily, the damage done so far is minimal and has, for the most part, only affected items that are expendable or of lesser value. Guibert has isolated the trouble spots in an effort to minimize any further damage to items in the collection.
Surprisingly, she still finds time to assess recent additions, including family papers and photographs belonging to the Laveronis, one of San Juan’s early families, which she found via an alert on eBay, and a scrapbook of newspaper columns from the 1940s written by local author Katherine Talbott that concludes with her own obituary.
Wanda Guibert with the Laveroni papers. Photo by Robert Eliason. 
Life of St Teresa. Photo by Robert Eliason. 
Historic bookplate. Photo by Robert Eliason. 
Child’s drawing. Photo by Robert Eliason. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society. 
Recent acquisition. Courtesy of the SJB Historical Society.
City Manager Don Reynolds told BenitoLink that the city’s engineering staff had visited the property to assess the damage—the first step in the long process of seeking funding for repairs.
“There are a few options,” Reynolds said. “When we get caught up with the certified local government reports, we will be eligible again for historic preservation grants. We’re hoping that will provide an opportunity for projects like this, but we’re not sure yet.”
Local architect Alan Hendry has also inspected the building and offered his services to the city to assess the damage and create architectural drawings of the floor plan, elevations and structures.
Guibert said she is optimistic that action will be taken soon to restore the museum.
“Don has heard us,” she said. “He’s seen the situation, but there is a lot on his plate. It’s a building worth preserving. I’m not a very squeaky wheel, but I am going to start being more squeaky. We need to consider the future while doing our best to protect the past.”
She also hopes that people will support the museum by becoming members, which would help raise funds to buy supplies, like the archival boxes needed for preservation.
“Dues are $15 a year, which is really nominal,” Guibert said. “We currently have 90 members and would like to see more people join out of their love for San Juan and its history.”
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